Assa

Tamara Hicks and David Jablons have spent several years restoring their 160-acre farm property in Tomales. In 2007, they opened their own goat and sheep dairy, in recognition of the land’s previous incarnation as a cow dairy. The farm, which is certified humane and animal welfare approved, currently keeps about 200 goats and 100 sheep. In the spring of 2013, Tomales Farmstead began making its first cheeses.

Assa, which is the Miwok word for "woman, " is a goat's milk wheel with a semi-firm texture. The cheese is washed in local wine as it ripens, enabling naturally-occuring bacteria to populate rind and give the cheese a pungent aroma. Underneath the rind, the paste itself is mildly floral, with subtle sweet flavors of caramel and nuts and a balanced saltiness.